Solid-state-reaction fabrication and properties of a high-doping Nd:YAG transparent laser ceramic

Abstract

High-quality neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) transparent ceramic (4.0 mole percent) was fabricated by a solid-state reaction method and vacuum sintering. The microstructure, optical transmittance, spectral properties and laser performance were investigated. The average grain size of the sample is about 10 ?m. The transmittance of a 2.8-mm thick sample reaches 79.5% at the laser wavelength of 1064 nm. The highest absorption peak is centered at 807 nm and the absorption coefficient is 13.9 cm^-1. The absorption coefficient at the laser wavelength is 0.2 cm^-1. The main emission peak is at 1064 nm and the fluorescence lifetime is 102 ?s. A laser diode (808 nm) whose maximum output is about 1000 mW was used as a pump source and an end-pumped laser experiment was performed. The 1064 nm-CW-laser output was obtained and the threshold is 733 mW. With 998 mW of maximum absorbed pump power, a laser output of 17 mW is obtained with a slope efficiency of 6.1%.

Keywords

transparent laser ceramic / optical properties / microstructure / high-doping concentration / solid state reaction